Car-bolster.



No. 703,609. Patented July I, |9o2 a. P. BITTER.

CAR BOLSTER.

(Application filed. Apr. 24, 190B.)

4 Sheets-Sheet I (In Model.)

THE scams mans c0. PHOTD-LlTNO-. WASHINGTON. I:v c.

Patented .Iuly l, I902.

a. P. BITTER. CAR BOLSTER.

(Applicatim: filed Apr. 24, 190B.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N0 llodel.)

1;? we for ac/76765556, %'QW Patented July I, m2.

6. P. nmsn. CAR BOLSTEB.

(Lppliclfion Mod Lpr. 94, 1909'.)

4 Shoots-Shoot 3 (Nu Nodal.)

UNITED STATEs GILBERT P. BITTER, on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-'BQLS'TER'.

SPECIFICATION forminglpart of Iletters retentive.- roaeoe, dated July1,1902.

Application filed April 24,1902.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, GILBER R BIT ER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county sf Cook, State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Bolsters; and Ihereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of a car-bolster embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is an" un der side plan view of the same. Fig.3 is an enlargedside elevation of the end cap for receiving the ends of the compressionand ten-" sion members and the spanners of the bolster. Fig. 4: is alongitudinal vertical section of the end cap on the line 4 4, Fig. 6,showing one of the sockets for the end ofia compression member of thebolster and one of the seats or sockets for the spanners. =Fig1'5is asimilar section on the line 5 5, Fig. 6, showing the opening for thepassage of one of the tension-rods or tension members of the bolster.Fig. 6 is an under side plan view of the end cap of the bolster.

Fig. 7 is an outer end view of "the end cap looking in the direction ofthe arrow7, Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is-an vinner end view of the end caplooking in the'direction ofthe arrow 8, Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical sectionaliview ofthe center castingor'strut of the bolster,

the center plate omitted." T Fig. 10 is'a' transverse sectional view ofthe end plate for closing the nut-channel ornut-recess in the outer endof the end cap. Fig. 11 is a view in elevation of the side bearing ofthe bolster.

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur. I

My invention relatesto the constructionof that class of compositemetallic car-bolsters termed trussed bolsters, wherein'are combined atension'member or members, a'coin' pression member or members, and aninterposed striit,"arid has for itsjobject the provision of meanswhereby the load of the carbody and -the torsional strains gare properlydistributed and'transferred to' the strut and to the ends of thebolster.

Where trussed structures are used as truckbolsters, the tension membersof the structure are dependent, and the support of the bolster being atthe ends where the tension Serial No. 104,516. on model.)

and compression members unite the strains andjload are uniformlydistributed throughout the bolster and no material difliculty isexperienced in adapting the structure to its position and work; but inthe case of bodybolsters,where the structure is reversedthat is, thetension members are uppermost-considerable difficulty is experienced inapplying the bolster to the car-body so as to properly distribute theload and strains upon the bolster and prevent sagging of the bolster andcar-body. To overcome these difficulties and objections, I have combinedwith they strut and endsections of a'trussed bolster interpose'dspannersfor the support of the carsills, whereby the tension members of thebolster are relieved of the direct load, which is thereby divided upbetween the strut or post and the compression members of thestructureyand such a construction embodies the main feature of myinvention.

A secondary feature of my invention consists in providingthe end caps ofthe bolster structure with inward extensions and combining therewith thespanners and side bearings of the bolster, whereby the tension membersare left free and the bolster is crossbraced and stitl'ened againsttorsional or transverse strains.

There are other--minorfeatures of invention, all as will hereinaftermore fully appear. 1

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully, so that othersskilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A1 indicates the strut or post, B B the end caps, Dthecompression members, and E the tension members, of a. trussed bolster,which several elements may be of'any desired character and with which inpracticing my invention are combined spanners S S, interposed} betweenendcaps B B and the strut A,so as to act as girders when the sills ofthe car-body. rest thereon.

Preferably the compression members 1) D and the spanners S S are'of'tubular form and may be rectangular in cross-section; but saidcompression members may be of any other character desired-as, forinstance, T-ironand the spanners may be plate or T iron, if

preferred, and, further, the tension and compression members may be inthe same vertical planes, though preferably they are in parallel planesor alternating, as indicated in the drawings.

For the purposes of illustration the compression members D and spannermembers S are herein shown as tubular, the tension members E andcompression members D as alternating, while the spanner members S are inthe same vertical planes as the compression members D and alternate withthe tension members E.

The strut A (see Fig. 9) is or may be a suitable casting provided aboveor on its upper face with a series of grooves l 1 1 for the passage ofthe tension-rods or tension members E, between which are deeper recessesor grooves 2 2 for the passage of the spanners S S, and on itsundersurface and alternating with the tension-rod grooves 1 1compressionmember grooves 3 3 3, and said strut or post is also providedwith the centrally-disposed king-bolt hole 4.

The counterpart of the compression-member grooves 3 3 3 of the strut Aare formed on the inner or upper face of the center plate 0, (see Figs.1 and 2,) which latter is riveted or bolted to the strut A when thebolster is assembled.

The end caps B, which are preferably malleableized castings, are formedwith an inwardly-projecting extension 5 on their upper surface, whichmay be extended sufficiently to form points of attachment for the sidebearing F, (see Figs. 1 and 11,) and are provided with a plurality ofsockets 6 6 for the reception of the ends of the compression members Dabove the same and centrally disposed a plurality of seats or sockets 77 for the reception of the ends of the spanners S S and intermediate ofthe sockets 6 passages 8 8 for the tension-rods or tension members E.

The outer end of the end cap B is formed with a chamber or recess 9 forthe nuts 0 of the tension members and is closed when the parts areassembled by means of a cap-plate 10, which may be riveted, bolted, orotherwise secured to the end cap B to conceal the nuts and preventaccidental displacement thereof.

The end caps 13 and strut or post A being of the general characterhereinbefore specified may be cored and flanged in any desired manner,as is well understood in the art, to secure the greatest strength forthe least weight.

F indicates a side bearing, which may be of any desired character,provided its general form is of a character to straddle the compressionmembers-as, for instance, provided with the offsets or pillars 11 andrecesses 12and which may be secured by bolting or otherwise to theextension 5 of the end cap B.

The elemental construction of the bolster being substantially ashereinbefore pointed out, the parts may be assembled as follows:Theeompression members D D, tension members E E, spanners S S, strut orpost A, and the end caps B B having been assembled so that the spannersS S are above and in line with the compression members D D andintermediate of the tension members E E, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) the centerplate 0 is riveted or bolted to the strut A, so as to confine thecompression members D D, and the nuts e on the ends of the tensionmembers are tightened to the desired degree, (to camber the compressionmembers D D, if desired,) after which the cap-plates F are applied andriveted or bolted to the end caps B to close the same and complete thebolster.

Among the advantages incident to bodybolsters as herein described are,first, that the tension members are relieved from the direct load andare free to perform their regular functions in a trussed structure;second, that the load being directly on the spanners is substantiallydivided between the strut or post and the end caps, the latter being thenormal load-points for trussed structures; third, the extreme outersills are balanced around the point of intersection of the center linesof the tension and compression members of the bolster, thus avoidingbending strains due to the overhang of the side sills, and, fourth, theextension of the end caps and combining therewith of the side bear ingsstitfens the bolster against cross-bend ing or torsional strains.

For purposes of illustration and as the preferred construction thespanners S S have been shown as continuous between the end caps 13 B andas passing over and resting upon the strut or post A, in effect acontinuous girder; but, if desired, the spanners may be half-length andsocketed into both the strut A and the end cap B with like results.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. Atrussed car-bolster,provided with spanners for the support of thecar-sills, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. A trussed car-b01ster,provided with spanners for the support of thecar-sills, said spanners interposed between the tension members,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. Atrussed car-bolster,provided with spanners interposed between thetension members and in alinement with the compression members of thebolster, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. A trussed car-bolster, comprising in combination, a strut, tensionand compression members, spanners, and end caps, the end caps havingvertically-aliued sockets for the compression members and spanners,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. A trussed car-bolster, comprising in combination, a strut, tensionand compression members, spanners, end caps, and side bearings, the endcaps having inward extensions for the reception of the side bearings,and the side bearings arranged to straddle the comcap, substantially asand for the purposes pression members, substantially as and forspecified.

the purposes specified. In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

6. Inatrussedbolster, the combination with in presence of two witnesses,this 23d day of 5 the tension and compression members there- April,1902.

of, of an end cap having an inward extension, 1

a spanner which engages the inwardexte'np GILBER1 BITTER sion of the endcap, and a side bearing which Witnesses:

straddles the compression members and is D. E. WILSON,

10 secured to the inward extension of the end HUGH M. STERLING.

